


if you need me after all.

by WinterwaltZ123 (RainyRain123)



Series: guillotine. [12]
Category: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn - Betty Smith
Genre: F/M, Headcanon, Hurt/Comfort, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-10
Updated: 2019-08-10
Packaged: 2020-08-14 11:29:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 264
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20191537
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RainyRain123/pseuds/WinterwaltZ123
Summary: Does she even like him enough to accept the ring?





	if you need me after all.

He doesn't expect this reaction from her. Never. She always looks excited about seeing and spending time with him, he _can't_ misinterpret that. He _can't_ be the only one who thinks about how this is going to end.

So, when Francie bites his lower lip, shaking, he doesn't even know what's wrong at first.

But, oh, the ring.

He shows it to her, expecting to put it on her ring finger. He is so anxious he seems to hold it together. In fact, he is sweating, shivering, nausea, doesn't feel like himself. He looks at Francie, who freezes in silence.

She doesn't offer her hand.

"Ben... what is this?"

She didn't expect this kind of confession?

"I... I want to bind our understanding. Of course, it's far too early to think about marriage—" oh, no, his voice cracks. He clears his throat. "But we still have plenty of years before we could settle everything out..."

What surprises him the most is the look in her eyes.

Has he been too harsh? Do his words offend her somehow? Does she even like him enough to accept the ring?

"I want to be with you, Francie."

But it looks like Francie is the one who doesn't want to be with _him_.

* * *

It's not long enough for him to know the reason behind her sad eyes was a certain someone somewhere in France.

And when he finally knows, an unnamed, annoying feeling tints his heart. He doesn't understand it at all. The only thing he get is he feels rather miserable.

Because Francie looks like that, too.

**Author's Note:**

> A Tree Grows in Brooklyn and its characters belong to Betty Smith.


End file.
